Structural and Functional Characteristics of Forecasting Capability in Preschoolers with Hearing Disorders

Abstract

Preschoolers with hearing disorders have difficulties in interacting with other people who may assist them in improving their skills of anticipating the development of future events. Prognostic competence of a child with a hearing disorder consists of the one’s ability to predict situations in significant areas of relationships (relationships with peers, parents, adults), that is why we set a goal—to study structural and functional components of forecasting in children with hearing disorders in situations of alleged interaction with other people. The experiment involved 50 children aged 5–7 years who attend preschool educational organizations: 25 children with no hearing disorders and 25 children with hearing disorders. The results of this study show that children with hearing disorder are characterized by using ineffective methods of forecasting. Children with hearing disorder have difficulties in interacting with strangers. In particular, they are not well familiar with the rules of safe behavior. In their forecasting, children with hearing disorders are more often characterized by taking a passive position. In most situations, these children indicated other participants—often adults—as active subjects of future events. The results of the research give reason to identify children with hearing disorders as a group prone to the risk of maladaptation. The formation of prognostic skills in this category of children can contribute their successful learning of social norms.